United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR) Shares Down 6.8% Following Insider Selling

Shares of United Therapeutics Co. (NASDAQ:UTHR) were down 6.8% during mid-day trading on Wednesday after an insider sold shares in the company. The company traded as low as $343.71 and last traded at $345.10. Approximately 254,537 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 46% from the average daily volume of 467,361 shares. The stock had previously closed at $370.26.

Specifically, CFO James Edgemond sold 7,782 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $366.99, for a total value of $2,855,916.18. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 6,426 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,358,277.74. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have issued reports on UTHR shares. Morgan Stanley lowered United Therapeutics from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and raised their price target for the stock from $310.00 to $321.00 in a research note on Thursday, July 11th. StockNews.com raised United Therapeutics from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on United Therapeutics from $350.00 to $380.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 20th. Oppenheimer raised their price objective on United Therapeutics from $400.00 to $575.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 28th. Finally, HC Wainwright restated a “buy” rating and issued a $400.00 price objective on shares of United Therapeutics in a report on Thursday, August 1st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, United Therapeutics presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $361.33.

United Therapeutics Stock Down 0.7 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a quick ratio of 4.18 and a current ratio of 4.35. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $353.45 and a 200-day simple moving average of $311.48. The company has a market capitalization of $15.53 billion, a PE ratio of 16.56, a P/E/G ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 0.57.

United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 31st. The biotechnology company reported $5.85 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $6.33 by ($0.48). United Therapeutics had a return on equity of 18.82% and a net margin of 40.87%. The business had revenue of $714.90 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $691.87 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $5.24 earnings per share. United Therapeutics’s revenue for the quarter was up 19.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that United Therapeutics Co. will post 24.72 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Therapeutics

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. ClariVest Asset Management LLC grew its position in shares of United Therapeutics by 120.0% in the 2nd quarter. ClariVest Asset Management LLC now owns 77 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC acquired a new position in United Therapeutics during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Innealta Capital LLC acquired a new position in United Therapeutics during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. USA Financial Formulas acquired a new position in United Therapeutics during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. boosted its position in United Therapeutics by 63.6% during the 1st quarter. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. now owns 301 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $69,000 after purchasing an additional 117 shares during the period. 94.08% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About United Therapeutics

United Therapeutics Corporation, a biotechnology company, engages in the development and commercialization of products to address the unmet medical needs of patients with chronic and life-threatening diseases in the United States and internationally. The company offers Tyvaso DPI, an inhaled dry powder via pre-filled and single-use cartridges; Tyvaso, an inhaled solution via ultrasonic nebulizer; Remodulin (treprostinil) injection to treat patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to diminish symptoms associated with exercise; Orenitram, a tablet dosage form of treprostinil, to delay disease progression and improve exercise capacity in PAH patients; and Adcirca, an oral PDE-5 inhibitor to enhance the exercise ability in PAH patients.